This invention is directed to a system and method for optimized the routing of print jobs. More particularly, this invention is directed to a system and method for optimized routing of print jobs to maximize the printing speed of a network having multiple printer devices by sending the print job to the printer having the smallest print queue.
On a network having multiple printer devices attached thereto, the speed of which a given print job is printed depends on the total number of jobs and the size of such jobs that are already in the print queue. A print job will be printed in the shortest time only if it is sent to the printer device on the network that currently has the smallest job loading waiting in its queue as compared to other printer devices available to the user. However, such information is generally not readily available to the user. Therefore, the user will generally select a printer device based on attributes other than the time required to print or the size of the print queue for such printer device. As such, even if the user needs the print job completed quickly, the user may select a printer device with a very large print queue, increasing the time to complete the print job.
It is desirable to have a system and method for optimized routing of print jobs wherein print jobs are routed to the printer device with the smallest print queue.